Suresh Desai has achieved a production miracle in organic sugarcane farming through an innovative mulching system devised entirely on his own.
His approach is that whatever elements are essential to sugarcane (or any other crop) should be supplied through the medium of a multi-mix of vegetation that has decomposed.
This is achieved he says by microbial saturation, catalyzed by mulching, in the treated soil.
This resulting biomass product of mulching is known as 'Aurogreen' in honour of the activities of the Maharishi Aurobindo Ashram.

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The tonnage of sugarcane achieved by Suresh Desai is substantially higher that that produced on chemical farms.
Besides this, his methods have ensured a big saving in water usage for a crop which has always been known to be a water guzzler.
Nine to 10 irrigations for the entire duration of the crop are now sufficient because the soil has incresed its capacity for retention of water.
The soil becomes rich in organic matter and in, as he calls it, bio-film - a rich, loamy layer of soil that is densely polullated, not only by earth fauna, such as earthworms, but one that is taken over by earth colonies of beneficial fungi, aiding and enhancing the process of decomposition.

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The most remarkable feat of Desai is that, besides being a successful practitioner of his principles, he communicates the science and art of his techniques in a simple lucid manner to one and all.
His recent initiative in this direction is the development of an organic farming training package that is being offered to framers around Kholapur in Maharashtra.
Spread across Kholapur in Maharshtra.
Spread across Kholapur district are many demonstration plots growing various local crops exhibiting his innovative farming methods.

Mr. Desai is working in collaboration with Mahila Arthik Vikas Sangathana in five districts of Maharashtra promoting kitchen garden farming amongst rural women.

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According to Mr. Desai there are four vital factors that affect crop yield: light, air, soil fertility and water.
Farming has stressed so far on soil fertility and water, which though important play only part of the role in obtaining good yields.
As a consequence, farmers have over used fertilisers and water.
He believes that this over use is firstly not required and secondly caused growth of weeds, kills soil microorganisms leading to disease in crops.
His emphasis now has been to introduce strip farming and low inputs of water.
Apart from this he is conducting experiments in making optimum use of light and air which are freely available and can be put to optimum use if one follows a relevant sowing pattern depending on the crop.
He is in the process of writing a paper on light and air harvesting technology which is available on request.
Sugarcane cultivation being his specialization, his research indicates that a combination of sugarcane and turmeric planting has a 'liche-crop pattern benefit' meaning they enjoy a symbiotic relationship ensuring high yield of both.

Suresh Desai is basically an institution in himself.
Like all pioneers, he has worked on his own without much assistance from Government officials or universities, to perfect his system of organic farming in the growing of sugarcane and spreading the word widely.

Mr. Desai is presently the Vice-President of Global Green Agricultural Society, Kolhapur, Maharashtra which primarily works towards disseminaitng information on organic methods and an active working member of the Organic Food Club, Yamakanmaradi.He was honoured for his work by the Government of Karnataka as Krishi Pandit for the year 2005-2006. (Source: Communication with OIP)

Suresh Desai a founding member of an Organic Farmers' Club with over 400 members in Belgaum District of Karnataka will design a model, Subhash Sharma- whose 32 acre farm in Yavatmal is flourishing, and has become a model for hundreds of other farmers will design the second one.